Directus hosting
An instant REST and GraphQL API, plus an admin app, over any SQL database.
- Minimum2 vCPU · 2 GB
- Disk10 GB
- Smallest planBusiness
- Web interfaceYes, over HTTPS
What is Directus?
Directus wraps an existing SQL database in a REST and GraphQL API and a polished admin interface, without requiring you to restructure your schema first.
It treats your database as the source of truth rather than hiding it behind a proprietary format, so the same tables remain usable by everything else you have.
What you get
- REST and GraphQL endpoints generated from your schema, with granular permissions
- A no-code admin app for editors, with custom layouts per collection
- Flows for automation: event hooks, schedules and webhooks with conditional logic
- File storage with image transformations, and single sign-on options
Running Directus on Autogineer Cloud
Directus is a one-click install here: choose it at checkout, set a root password, and the server is built, the software installed and configured, and published on its own HTTPS address — usually in about a minute, with the whole build streamed to your browser as it runs.
- Installed and configured, not just downloaded. The build finishes only once Directus is answering on its port with a real page — a server that could not finish is reported as failed rather than handed over looking complete.
- A working HTTPS address from the first minute. Your server is published at an address like directus-vps.autogineer.com, with a valid certificate, so webhooks and OAuth callbacks work immediately. Your own domain can be added afterwards.
- Full root over SSH. The one-click install is a starting point, not a cage: you can reconfigure Directus, install anything beside it, or replace it entirely.
- Backups you can restore from. On-demand backups of the whole server on every paid plan, which for Directus means its data as well as its configuration.
- Room to grow. Resize the plan as Directus grows, or rebuild the same server with a different app when the project changes.
Who it suits
Teams who need a headless CMS or an internal API over a database they already own.
Getting started with Directus
- When the build finishes, your server's page in the dashboard shows its HTTPS address, its root password and any sign-in details the installer set for Directus. The build console streams every step as it happens, so you can see exactly what was installed rather than taking it on trust.
- Sign in with the credentials the dashboard shows, then either introspect an existing database or create your first collection. The REST and GraphQL endpoints exist the moment a collection does.
- Add your own domain from the same page when you are ready: point a DNS record at the server and the certificate is issued for you. The original address keeps working, so nothing you configured against it breaks.
- Take a backup once Directus is configured the way you want it. A backup captures the whole server, so restoring one brings back Directus and its data together — and it is the only thing that will bring them back.
Frequently asked questions
Can Directus use my existing database and tables?
Yes — that is its main design decision. Point it at an existing SQL database and it introspects the schema instead of imposing its own.
Is Directus free to self-host?
Directus is source-available under the Business Source License, which permits self-hosting free of charge below a revenue threshold they publish. Check their licence for your situation.
Does it come with a database on this server?
Yes, it is installed with its own database so it works immediately, and it can be pointed at an external one instead.
How long does it take to install Directus?
About a minute. Choosing Directus at checkout builds the server, installs it, and publishes it on an HTTPS address, streaming the progress to your browser as it happens.
What size server does Directus need?
At least 2 vCPU, 2 GB of memory and 10 GB of disk, which is the Business plan or larger. These are the figures the installer is tested against rather than the smallest configuration that will boot.
Do I get root access to the server?
Yes. Every server includes full root access over SSH on its own port, so you can configure, extend or replace anything the one-click installer set up.
Can I use my own domain with Directus?
Yes. Each server is published on its own HTTPS address the moment it is built — directus-vps.autogineer.com for example, and you can point your own domain at it afterwards from the dashboard.
Related one-click apps
Reviewed . Requirements and plan sizes on this page are read from the live catalogue, so they are current whenever you load it.
Deploy Directus now
Pick a plan, set a root password, and Directus will be installed and running in about a minute.
Launch Directus →